In 2018 technology touches nearly every aspect of our life. But no innovation seems to come without some form of drawback or compromise. While technology has undoubtedly improved most of our lives, it has also brought new risks that we all find a way to balance – or in some cases choose to ignore. The number of cybersecurity breaches in 2018 speak to this risk.

The DNC email leak in 2016 revealed just how insecure email communications can be. It should be no surprise that government officials have been turning to other, more secure mediums, to communicate. White House staffers have reportedly usedthe encryption app Confide to communicate, French president Macron’s inner circle has reliedonTelegram, and former Australia Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull turned to Wickr and Whatsapp. But as government messaging solutions go, such tools are limited, and in most cases not as secure as one might think. They may offer encryption but they fail to secure messages on devices and don’t address critical compliance issues related to government communication.

By now, it is safe to assume that almost everyone in business has at least heard about ransomware. But, what are the implications of ransomware attacks? And what should you know about ransomware attacks that might not be obvious?

On March 22nd the Atlanta Municipal government was targeted by a ransomware cyberattack. As governments become more reliant on technology, cyber security must be priority number one in ensuring that your services remain operational and the public you serve, and their data, remains safe.